Operating mechanism for vacuum-cleaners.



J. MACLEAN- OPERATING MECHANISM FOR VACUUM CLEANERS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 20. I91!- RENEWED APR. 37, I916.

Patented Oct. 24,1916.

JOHN MAGLEAN, F TOLEDO, OHIO.

OPERATING MECHANISM FOR VACUUM-CLEANERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 24, 1916.

Application filed June 20, 1911, Serial No. 634,219. Renewed April 17,1916. Serial No. 91,750.

' is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in vacuum cleaners, and has for 1tsleadlng object the provision of an improved machine spirit of theinvention.

of this character in which a constant suction is maintained by themovement of a flexible diaphragm within the machine.

A further object of my invention is the provision of an improved vacuumcleaner in which a single readily cleaned receptacle Will serve toreceive and retain the dirt drawn in by the suction in both of thesuction chambers.

Another object of my invention is the provision of improved manuallyoperated mechanism for causing the operation of the suction createddiaphragm and mechanism for shifting said diaphragm to operate in aconstant direction while the direction of movement of the manuallyoperated controlling member, varies.

Other objects and advantages of my improved vacuum cleaner and drivingmecha nism therefor will be apparent from the following descriptiontaken in connection with the accompanying drawings and it will beunderstood that I- may make any modifications in the specific structureshown and described within the scope of my claim without departing fromor exceeding the Figure 1 represents a side elevation of my completevacuum cleaner. Fig. 2 represents a longitudinal sectional View of thehandle and mechanism contained therein.

In the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the basal pan or receptacle ofmy improved cleaner, said pan having secured thereto the axle 2 of thesupporting wheels -3 to permit the ready transportation or mobility ofthe cleaner and having secured at the front portion thereof the cleaneror suction nozzle 4, the pan being further formed with a peripheraloutwardly project ing flange 5 at its upper edge. Secured to the rear ofsaid flange 5 is the hinge 6 which is also secured to the double suctionchamber of my cleaner. Said chamber comprises a lower casing 7 having anoutwardly extending flange 8 which rests on the flange 5 of the casing1, and a second inverted pan or casing 9 similar in size and shape tothe caslng 7 and having a co-extensive peripheral flange 10, betweenwhich is inclosed the suction diaphragm (not shown). The flanges 8 and10 secure it by the bolts or rivets 12. Mounted upon said casing 9 is acasing 39 to which is connected the tubular handle containing thesprocket.

chain 49, which passes around the guide shield 51 mounted within thehandle 50. Said member 51 is rotatably mounted on the pin 52 secured inthe furcations of the yoke 53, said yoke having an outwardly extendingthreaded rod 54 projecting through the cap 55 and having a wing-nut 56engaged on its outer end and bearing against the cap plate 55, theadjustment of the nut 56 serving to regulate the tension of the chain49. To prevent the turning of the yoke 53 within the tubular handle Iform on said yoke the guide pin 57 which rides in the slot 58 of thehandle. Slidably mounted on the tubular handle .50 is thesleeve 59which\ is adapted to be manually grasped and reciprocated.Extendinginwardly from the sleeve 59through the slot 60 in the handle isa screw 61 having its inner end engaged in the block 62 which isprovided with the passages 63 and 64 in which the parallel portions ofthe sprocket chains are engaged.

Pivoted between the ears 65 of the block 62 is a dog 66 normally pressedagainst the end of the block by the curved blade spring 67, whilebetween the ears 68 on the opposite end of the block 62 is pivoted thedog 69 normally against the block and over the passage 64: by thecurve-blade spring 70.

When the sleeve 59 is moved'in one direction it will shift with it theblock 62 and one of the dogs 66 or 69 will engage between the solidlinks of the sprocket chain and will force the chain to move with theblock, While the dog on the opposite end of the block will ride idlyover the parallel portion of the chain. As the movement of the sleeve isreversed, the idly riding dog will then engage the other portions of thesprocket .chain while the formerly operated dog will 10 ing slot formedtherein, means projecting bination with a tubular handle, of a sprocketwheel mounted therein, a guide sheave mounted in the tubular handle, asprocket chain passing around the sheave, a block slidably mountedwithin the tubular handle and having a pair of passages formed thereinthrough which the parallel portions of the sprocket chain pass, a sleeveslidably mounted exteriorly on the tubular handle, said handle having alongitudinally extendthrough the slot for securing the block to thesleeve, a spring pressed dog pivoted to one end of the blockintermediate the passages and adapted to engage the chain and lock thesame to move with the block when the block and sleeve are shifted alongthe handle i in one direction and to disengage the chain when the blockis moved in'the opposite,

direction, and a second spring pressed dog pivoted to the other end ofthe block eX- terior to the passages and adapted to engage the otherportion of the chain and lock it to move with the block when the firstmentioned dog is riding idly over the chain and to ride idly over thechain when the first mentioned dog is lockingly engaging the chain,whereby the chain is locked to move with the block when the block ismoved in either direction, but different parts of the chain are lockedto the block to cause the chain to be shifted in a constant directionirrespective of the direction of movement of the sleeve and blocksecuredthereto.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in the presence of twowitnesses.

JOHN MACLEAN.

'VVitnesses I RoBT. W. MACLEAN, NEAL ROY MAOLEAN.

